How to do a reverse Advent calendar for a food bank

Updated 30 October 2026 · By Rob and Chris, two Sheffield dads, and our families

A reverse Advent calendar means adding one thing to a box each day of December instead of taking something out, then giving the full box to a food bank before Christmas. Check your local food bank’s list first, because each food bank needs different things, and ask when its last collection before Christmas is.

• Cost: what you choose. As a rough guide, many single items at a budget shop cost about £1
• Ages: 3 and up, with a part for each age
• Time: 2 minutes a day, plus one drop-off
• You need: a box, your food bank’s list, and a pen for a note

How do you do a reverse Advent calendar as a family?

1. Find your food bank. Use the postcode finder on Trussell’s food donation page, look for an independent food bank or community pantry near you, or use the collection point in your supermarket.
2. Read its list together. Trussell says to check your food bank’s website, social media or the BankTheFood app to see what it needs. Write the list on the box.
3. Decorate the box. A big cereal box or shoebox is fine. Number it 1 to 24 down the side.
4. Add one thing a day. Or shop once a week and add four or five at a time. Either works.
5. Write a note. Children can draw a picture or write a short Christmas message to tuck in the top.
6. Drop it off together. Check opening times and the last collection before Christmas, as hours can change over the holidays.

What do UK food banks usually need?

Every food bank is different, so its own list comes first. In general terms, Trussell asks for food that is in date, unopened and non-perishable, and says food banks may need toiletries as well as food. Things we have seen on lists:

• Breakfast: cereal, porridge oats, long-life (UHT) milk
• Main meals: tinned meat and fish, tinned tomatoes, tinned vegetables, pasta sauce, rice, tinned soup
• Afters and drinks: tinned fruit, custard, tea, coffee, long-life fruit juice, biscuits
• Toiletries: toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, shower gel, sanitary products, toilet roll
• For babies: nappies and wipes, but check which sizes are needed

Things most food banks cannot take: fresh or homemade food, as most ask for non-perishable items only, and anything opened or out of date. Some may ask for Christmas treats in December. Needs differ, which is why the list matters.

How can each age join in?

• Ages 3 to 5. Decorate the box, put in each day’s item, and draw a picture for the top. Tins are heavy, so a grown-up lifts the box.
• Ages 6 to 9. Read the food bank’s list, tick off what goes in, and write the note.
• Ages 10 and up. Plan the shop on a budget and compare prices. If they want to add something from their own pocket money, let them choose, but never make it a rule.

How do you explain a food bank to children?

Keep it simple and kind: sometimes families run short of money for food, and a food bank is where neighbours help each other out. Anyone can need one. Talk about the people you are helping as neighbours, not as people to feel sorry for.

If money is tight for your family this year, that is fine. Giving time, a kind note or a hand-me-down counts just as much. If you need food help yourself, Trussell explains how to get emergency food.

The 5 minute version

No time for a daily box? On your next supermarket shop, let each child choose one thing from the food bank’s list and drop it in the collection trolley on the way out. Do it four Saturdays in a row and you have done a reverse Advent calendar.

Questions parents ask

What do you put in a reverse Advent calendar?

One thing a day that your local food bank has asked for. In general that means food that is in date, unopened and non-perishable, like cereal, tinned meat and fish, tinned vegetables, pasta sauce, tea and long-life milk, plus toiletries such as toothpaste and toilet roll. Check your food bank’s own list first.

When should I drop off a reverse Advent calendar?

Ask your food bank when its last collection before Christmas is. We think giving earlier in December is safer than leaving it to Christmas Eve, and some families drop off a box every weekend instead of one at the end.

How much does a reverse Advent calendar cost?

It is up to you. As a rough guide from our own shopping, many items on food bank lists cost around 50p to £1.50 at a budget supermarket, but you can spend less by sharing a box with friends, or give time or a kind note instead.

Can food banks take Christmas food and selection boxes?

Each food bank needs different things, so some may ask for Christmas treats and some may not. Check your food bank’s list or ask before you buy.

How do I explain a food bank to young children?

Keep it simple: sometimes families run short of money for food, and a food bank is where neighbours help each other. Anyone can need one, and helping is a kind thing to do.

More ideas from Famoo

• Make a sharing parcel with children
• Advent calendar ideas for families
• Christmas activities, including kindness ideas
• Free UK pocket money calculator

Put the sharing box in your Advent calendar

In Famoo, your family’s Advent calendar opens one door a day. Choose the sharing parcel as one of your 24 activities and it comes with picture steps and a part for each age.

Make your family’s Advent calendar in Famoo (free)

Famoo is a family app for UK homes, in beta, so things may change.

Where this comes from

Each fact on this page links to one of these. Everything else is our own view from our families.

• Trussell, Food bank donations, checked 30 October 2026
• Trussell, Get emergency food, checked 30 October 2026
• Child Accident Prevention Trust, Safe from choking, checked 30 October 2026